Impact of seawater desalination and wastewater treatment on water stress levels and greenhouse gas emissions: The case of Chile.

Many regions around the world are suffering from water stress, and desalinated water and recycled water are seen as alternatives for meeting the water demand. However, high energy consumption and associated greenhouse gas emissions are some of the main environmental impacts. This is notable for many arid and semi-arid countries where desalination and water recycling are considered options for ensuring water resources availability. This research presents the incorporation of the quantification of greenhouse gas emissions generated during the operation of desalination and wastewater treatment plants in the assessment of water stress levels using the water stress indicator adopted by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Chile was chosen as a case study, as it is a country where there is a considerable difference between the availability of conventional water sources and the water demand, and the electrical grid is fed mainly by fossil fuels. The methodology proposed allows calculating the indirect greenhouse gas emissions due to electrical consumption for the operation of desalination and wastewater treatment plants, and the direct greenhouse gas emissions coming from biological processes used in wastewater treatment plants. The results showed that Chilean arid climate zones will not experience water stress in the future at the regional level, mainly because of the installation of several desalination plants by 2030. Meanwhile, recycled water from the urban sector will slightly contribute to the reduction in the level of water stress in almost all Chilean regions by 2030. Moreover, desalination and wastewater treatment plant will contribute only between 0.34% and 0.75% of total greenhouse gas emitted in Chile by 2030. Therefore, the operation of these industrial systems for facing water scarcity problems in northern and central zones of Chile is a suitable alternative because it does not generate large environmental problems.

Satisfacción en las relaciones de pareja en la adultez emergente: el rol del apego, la intimidad y la depresión / Satisfaction in intimate relationships in emerging adulthood: the role of attachment, intimacy and depression

Esta investigación se propone caracterizar las relaciones de pareja en el período de la adultez emergente, y establecer la relación entre la satisfacción con la relación de pareja y los estilos de apego, la presencia de síntomas depresivos y el miedo a la intimidad. Participaron 120 jóvenes entre 18 y 26 años, quienes contestaron un cuestionario autoadministrado. Los resultados indican que la satisfacción con la relación disminuye por el grado de ansiedad y el miedo a la intimidad. Existen similitudes entre las relaciones amorosas en la adultez emergente y las relaciones adultas en base a su compromiso y duración.

This research aims to characterize the relationships in the period of emerging adulthood, and establish the relationship between satisfaction with the relationship and attachment, the presence of depressive symptoms and fear of intimacy. Participants 120 young people, between 18 and 26 who answered a self-administered questionnaire. The results indicate that satisfaction with the relationship falls by the degree of anxiety and fear of intimacy. There are similarities between romantic relationships in emerging adulthood and adult relationships based on their commitment and duration.

Clinical diagnosis versus autopsy

Records from 910 autopsies performed at a university hospital in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, were examined in order to assess the accuracy of clinical diagnoses of the patients' underlying causes of death. This study found inaccurate clinical diagnoses in 31 per cent of the cases. The overall rate of diagnostic error appeared to remain fairly stable from 1970 to 1982 being highest for older patients. Thirthy-six percent of the 263 cancer deaths were incorrectly diagnosed, and a number of pathologies considered relatively easy to diagnose were not always correctly identified. Quite aside from their direct medical implications, diagnostic errors of the magnitude observed in this and other studies seriosly jeopardize the quality of vital statistics and such statistics' usefulness for improving public health

Disponible en Portugues en: Bol. Oficina Sanit. Panam 110(3):213-18, 1991

Clinical diagnosis versus autopsy

Records from 910 autopsies performed at a university hospital in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, were examined in order to assess the accuracy of clinical diagnoses of the patients' underlying causes of death. This study found inaccurate clinical diagnoses in 31 per cent of the cases. The overall rate of diagnostic error appeared to remain fairly stable from 1970 to 1982 being highest for older patients. Thirthy-six percent of the 263 cancer deaths were incorrectly diagnosed, and a number of pathologies considered relatively easy to diagnose were not always correctly identified. Quite aside from their direct medical implications, diagnostic errors of the magnitude observed in this and other studies seriosly jeopardize the quality of vital statistics and such statistics' usefulness for improving public health